Peppermint Chocolate Ice Cream Shell Topping is a chocolate sauce that hardens over ice cream. This chocolate shell is rich, minty, and made with only three ingredients.

You're going to love this peppermint chocolate ice cream shell because it's the perfect topping for a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Plus, you can make a batch in five minutes in your own kitchen.
What is chocolate ice cream shell? It is a chocolate sauce that hardens over ice cream. When at room temperature, this chocolate sauce is thin enough to pour, but as soon as it hits cold ice cream, it hardens into a thin shell topping.
You may have seen something called "magic shell" by the ice cream toppings at the grocery store. This is a homemade version, made with just three ingredients.
Ingredients
For this recipe, you'll need semi-sweet chocolate chips, peppermint extract, and refined coconut oil.
It's important to grab some refined coconut oil because it won't have the added coconut flavor. Unrefined coconut oil will also work, but keep in mind that your chocolate shell will have a coconut flavor.
Semi-sweet chocolate chips can be substituted with milk chocolate chips for a less rich, sweeter chocolate flavor.
Making ice cream shell
In a microwave safe dish, slowly melt your coconut oil and semi-sweet chocolate chips in 30 second increments. For me, I only needed one minute total to melt my chocolate chips.
Feel your container. If it is hot, your chocolate chips will eventually melt. No need to place them back in the microwave - just keep stirring. Chocolate can easily go from melty to scorched in seconds, so it's important to use the microwave sparingly.
Ways to use ice cream shell
Pour over your favorite frozen dessert and it will harden into a crisp shell in seconds. The obvious choice would be ice cream, but you can also drizzle over any cold or frozen desserts.
Dip cold confections, like ice cream sandwiches, vanilla or chocolate popsicles, or bon bons into this shell topping to add a thin, crisp chocolate coating.
Another fun treat is slicing fruits and freezing them on popsicle sticks. Then, dip them into your chocolate shell coating.
You can also add a thin chocolate coating to the top (or bottom) of any cold pie filling.
Storing leftovers
I like to store my chocolate shell in a mason jar on the counter top.
If you accidentally refrigerate your shell topping - no worries. Simply set the container in warm water, or hold under hot tap water until your shell has thawed.
Your shell topping will keep for up to two weeks stored in a tightly sealed container at room temperature. Try to keep moisture out of your chocolate shell container - this will cause bacteria to grow and your shell to mold.
📖 Recipe
Peppermint Chocolate Ice Cream Shell Topping
Ingredients
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, refined
- ½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave in 30 second increments, stirring every 30 seconds, until completely melted and combined. If preferred, you can melt over a double boiler on the stove top as well.
- Add peppermint extract and stir to combine.
- Pour over your favorite frozen treat, and allow to harden (about one minute).
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Store extra shell topping in a tightly sealed container at room temperature for up to two weeks.
- If topping hardens, microwave in 10 second increments until desired consistency is achieved. Or, run sealed container under hot water.
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